S14
LETTERS...
belly landing. Far too much is, I feel, left to adult
passengers to find out for themselves, and pass on to
children under their care, how to protect themselves
during violent deceleration, and how to escape once the
aircraft has come to rest—a situation that can arise
during the take-off run, within minutes of boarding.
During a recent return flight to London by scheduled
service from abroad I have no recollection of any emer-
gency instructions from the crew before take-off. Know-
ing a little about the aircraft I was in, I had a rough idea
where the emergency exits were, but I doubt if many
of my fellow passengers did. The aircraft was full to
capacity; and, of the 80-odd passengers, some were
very old, some very young and some foreign. It was
not until after the flight that I discovered fairly detailed
emergency instructions among literature picked up from
the seat pocket as a souvenir. Most of the other pas-
sengers had, I noted, left theirs behind unread.
I feel it is time airline managements faced this issue
squarely, and made sure that all their passengers,
regardless of age or language, are thoroughly prepared
for an emergency. It might be argued, with some reason,
that a cabin crew of three cannot properly brief 80
assorted passengers within the space of a few minutes
between doors-closed and take-off. A possible solution is
to issue, with each boarding pass, an emergency-pro-
cedures leaflet containing well-illustrated instructions
applicable to the type of aircraft for the flight. There
should be ample time for passengers to study the leaflet
in the departure lounge before boarding.
Harpenden, Herts GEOFFREY C. SCOTT
BIATA and the Small Operator
SIR,—I found your issue of March 17, dealing with
private and executive flying, most interesting—as, I am
sure, will the majority of your growing number of
readers. However, because the reference to BIATA in
the article on page 445 might be open to misconstruction,
may I seek the hospitality of your correspondence
columns to remove that risk?
Since the Association was founded nearly 20 years
ago there has always been provision for small operators
to become associate members, subject to their being able
to qualify for membership, with a proportional represen-
tation on the Council to ensure that their interests are
properly represented. Indeed, some operators which
joined the Association as associate members in the first
instance later grew to a size which required their becom-
ing ordinary members. Furthermore, the Association's
constitution has always provided for the formation of
groups within the Association to deal with the special
interests of certain members should that be desirable
or necessary.
I hope the undoubted right of any operator, no matter
of what size, to decide how best his interests can be
represented will not be questioned. At the same time I
believe that the facts should be correctly stated, which
is why I have written to you.
London SWI H. c. BRILLIANT
Secretary-General, British Independent
Air Transport Association Ltd.
The Last RAF Lancaster
SIR,—I was very interested to read the letter from
Flt-Lt Leach in your issue of March 3, and to learn
that Lancaster PA474 has found a good home at Wad-
dington.
I would like to point out, however, that this Lancaster
actually came to the College of Aeronautics, Cranfield,
in 1954 and was used for various laminar-flow inves-
tigations, starting with a test wing constructed by the
College. The second experiment concerned the wing
of the Midge (prototype of the Gnat fighter), and the
final experiment made use of the Handley Page-built
suction wing. The Flight Department of the College
RIGHT International, 31 March I Hi
was responsible for operating the aircraft and conducting
the research in collaboration with Handley Page. The
experiments were then continued on Lincoln RF342,
which is still at Cranfield.
Incidentally, a request has been made to the Ministry
of Defence by the Royal Aeronautical Society that Lan-
caster PA474 should fee flown at Cranfield again in the
flying display arranged for the Centenary Garden Party
on June 19 this year.
Cranfield, Beds c. G. B. MCLURE
The McCandless Gyroplane
SIR,—We were interested to read in your issue of March
10 a reference to the new gyroplane which is being
developed by Mr Rex McCandless in Northern Ireland.
There are, however, two inaccuracies in this to which we
would like to draw your attention.
In the second paragraph you refer to the fuselage
being "the now-familiar three-tube space-frame construc-
tion." Early experiments were carried out with the three-
tube type of fuselage, which is not a space frame. Sub-
sequent development has introduced a multi-tube space-
frame fuselage, designed so that in the event of a very
heavy landing, the construction collapses progressively
without injury to the pilot.
At the end of the fourth paragraph you state that
propeller drive with the Volkswagen engine has reverted
to vee-belt In fact a toothed flat belt is used.
R. & W. A. MCCANDLESS (AVIATION) LTD
Newtownards, Co Down . Frank Robertson
Pup on a String
SIR,—To get in on the act, I would like to put the Pup
on the right string (Mr R. E. Nicoll's letter, March 10),
by saying it was a Canadian called Carter who flew
into the balloon cable.
The whole thing was witnessed by another RNAS pilot
(now Air Marshal Sir Aubrey Ellwood, now living in
retirement across the fields from here) who was flying
behind Carter's aircraft and who, in his pre-occupation
with Carter's plight, nearly ran into the same obstruction.
Sir Aubrey's story is that the cable parted and the
top bit snarled around the prop boss, so that the bal-
loon gently lowered the Pup to earth-—upside down.
Small world!
Shepton Beauchamp, A. w. GREGG
Somerset
IN BRIEF
Mr M. J. Powell, of 20 Tewkesbury Avenue, Gosport,
Hants, seeks information on the Portsmouth Fighter
Fund—particularly on which, two aircraft were bought.
and on their subsequent history.
DIARY
Apr I International Federation of Aerospace Technology »n<i
Engineering: Second International Conference, RAeS
Apr 2-3 British Women Pilots Association: Flying weekend, Staverton
Airport, Glos.
Apr 4 RAeS: Thiru Reynolds-Prandtl Lecture, by Prof A. W. Quick;
6 p.m.
Apr 6 Kronfeld Club : "The Last of the Many," by J. R. Vanderbeek;
74 Eccleston Square, London SWI, 8 p.m.
Apr II Tiger Club: Easter Monday flying display, Panshanger, nr
Hertford.
Apr 12 RAeS Bristol Branch: A.g.m. and film show. BAC Filton.
6 p.m.
Apr 13 Kronfeld Club : Informal reports on Easter gliding; 74 Eccle-
cton Square, London SWI, 8 p.m.
Apr 14 RAeS Southend Branch: A.g.m. and film show. Queen's
Hotel. Westcliff, 7.45 p.m.
Apr 14 RAeS: "Propulsion for Spaceflight," by S. K. Hoffman, 6 p.m.
Note: RAeS lectures other than those given at ^ran.<jhe*
take place in the Society's lecture theatre at 4 Hamilton
Place, London Wl.